Sort TableView Cells Alphabetically using Swift - ios

Question

I am using firebase to load data into tableview cells, and here is the structure of my data.
struct postStruct {
let title : String!
let author : String!
let bookRefCode : String!
let imageDownloadString : String!
let status : String!
let reserved : String!
let category : String!
let dueDate : String!
}
Now i need to sort the tableview cells holding the data alphabetically, with the titles starting with A at the top, and Z at the bottom.
class DirectoryTableView: UITableViewController {
var posts = [postStruct]()
override func viewDidLoad() {
let databaseRef = Database.database().reference()
databaseRef.child("Books").queryOrderedByKey().observe(.childAdded, with: {
snapshot in
var snapshotValue = snapshot.value as? NSDictionary
let title = snapshotValue!["title"] as? String
snapshotValue = snapshot.value as? NSDictionary
let author = snapshotValue!["author"] as? String
snapshotValue = snapshot.value as? NSDictionary
let bookRefCode = snapshotValue!["bookRefCode"] as? String
snapshotValue = snapshot.value as? NSDictionary
let status = snapshotValue!["status"] as? String
snapshotValue = snapshot.value as? NSDictionary
let reserved = snapshotValue!["reserved"] as? String
snapshotValue = snapshot.value as? NSDictionary
let category = snapshotValue!["category"] as? String
snapshotValue = snapshot.value as? NSDictionary
let dueDate = snapshotValue!["dueDate"] as? String
snapshotValue = snapshot.value as? NSDictionary
self.posts.insert(postStruct(title: title, author: author, bookRefCode: bookRefCode, status: status, reserved: reserved, category: category, dueDate: dueDate) , at: 0)
self.tableView.reloadData()
})
override func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, numberOfRowsInSection section: Int) -> Int {
return posts.count
}
override func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> UITableViewCell {
var cell = tableView.dequeueReusableCell(withIdentifier: "cell")
let databaseRef = Database.database().reference()
let label1 = cell?.viewWithTag(1) as! UILabel
label1.text = posts[indexPath.row].title
let label2 = cell?.viewWithTag(2) as! UILabel
label2.text = posts[indexPath.row].author
let label3 = cell?.viewWithTag(3) as! UILabel
label3.text = posts[indexPath.row].bookRefCode
let label4 = cell?.viewWithTag(4) as! UILabel
label4.text = posts[indexPath.row].status
let label5 = cell?.viewWithTag(5) as! UILabel
label5.text = posts[indexPath.row].category
let image1 = cell?.viewWithTag(6) as! UILabel
image1.text = posts[indexPath.row].imageDownloadString
let label6 = cell?.viewWithTag(7) as! UILabel
label6.text = posts[indexPath.row].reserved
let label9 = cell?.viewWithTag(9) as! UILabel
label9.text = posts[indexPath.row].dueDate
return cell!
}
Any ideas, please help!
I have tried to sort them with different methods, but I'm confused!

Answer 1

As I said in my comment you don't need to sort your cells you need sort your datarsource array instead, to do that add this line self.posts.sort(by: {$0.title < $1.title}) below your self.posts.insert(postStruct(title: title, author: author, bookRefCode: bookRefCode, status: status, reserved: reserved, category: category, dueDate: dueDate) , at: 0) adding this line your posts array will keep ordered and every time you add another post will be ordered again
Your viewDidLoad full code with the sort
override func viewDidLoad() {
let databaseRef = Database.database().reference()
databaseRef.child("Books").queryOrderedByKey().observe(.childAdded, with: {
snapshot in
var snapshotValue = snapshot.value as? NSDictionary
let title = snapshotValue!["title"] as? String
snapshotValue = snapshot.value as? NSDictionary
let author = snapshotValue!["author"] as? String
snapshotValue = snapshot.value as? NSDictionary
let bookRefCode = snapshotValue!["bookRefCode"] as? String
snapshotValue = snapshot.value as? NSDictionary
let status = snapshotValue!["status"] as? String
snapshotValue = snapshot.value as? NSDictionary
let reserved = snapshotValue!["reserved"] as? String
snapshotValue = snapshot.value as? NSDictionary
let category = snapshotValue!["category"] as? String
snapshotValue = snapshot.value as? NSDictionary
let dueDate = snapshotValue!["dueDate"] as? String
snapshotValue = snapshot.value as? NSDictionary
self.posts.insert(postStruct(title: title, author: author, bookRefCode: bookRefCode, status: status, reserved: reserved, category: category, dueDate: dueDate) , at: 0)
self.posts.sort(by: {$0.title < $1.title})
self.tableView.reloadData()
})